"Ass Pocket of Whiskey" was the album that sparked a true blues awakening for me back in the 90s. Prior to that, i'd never given deep delta blues much thought. FWIW, I really have to give Jon Spencer credit for cracking that nut with us indie rockers at the time.
While I never had the pleasure of meeting RL, I knew people who not only had the pleasure of knowing him but also got to record him in the mid 90s. I vividly remember spending a stoned evening in the hollywood hills with these guys listening to rough mixes of a session RL did with them in LA. The sound was amazing. RL used what these guys gave him to play through. I was told RL was amazed that these big hollywood producers were using all these junky old amps to record with. Of course they weren't exactly junk, they were the most desirable vintage amps around. I guess they weren't Peaveys though.

I remember being blown away at how RL sounded so confident in these basically live recordings. It made me accutely uncomfortable with the recordings my band was in the process of completing for our label at the time. I distinctly remember wondering if I was just a musical dilettante. Well, by comparison, I was. His music was him to the core and it was the real deal. The poetic image of his world that he produced in his music is profound. With Junior Kimbrough, RL defined the sound of the delta for the late 20th century.

The first time I saw RL was at the DC Blues Festival - probably 9 or 10 years ago. I had never heard of him and his set blew me away. That night one of my musician friends had a party at her house. RL, Kenny and their drummer showed up. I got to play a couple of songs with them. That was one of the highlights of my musical life.

I first met R.L. several years ago backstage after a rollicking set at the Mississippi Valley Blues Fest in Davenport, Iowa . We had a beer together and a few laughs . A most memorable experience . The last time I saw him was this past 4th of July weekend at the same festival . He was there to receive the lifetime achievment award . Frail and confined to a wheelchair , he barely ackowledged the many wellwishers gathering around the stage . It was most maddening to see the insensitive autograph hounds cramming stuff in his lap trying to get him to sign . Finally , one of the Burnside clan put a stop to it. They rolled him on stage to thunderous applause , presented the award and were just ready to take him away......when he motioned for a microphone and with what seemed to be all the strength he had left....raised his hand high in the air and let out with a full voiced "Well ,well , well ." A fitting end to his day .....
R.L. will be greatly missed .....but like all great bluesmen.....his music and the memories he gave so many will live on ....
R.I.P. my friend....